Functional dysphagia of the esophagus is the sensation of an abnormal bolus passing through the esophagus for which no cause can be found. Criteria for its diagnosis were provided by the Rome II conference.
Criteria for the diagnosis of functional dysphagia - all of the following:
(1) A duration of symptoms >= 12 cumulative weeks over the past 12 months (may or may not be consecutive).
(2) A sense of liquid and/or solid foods lodging, sticking or passing abnormally through the esophagus.
(3) Exclusion of other causes following a complete examination.
where:
• Similar symptoms in the throat would be oropharyngeal dysphagia.
• Painful passage of a bolus would be odynophagia.
Exclusions:
(1) pathologic gastroesophageal reflux
(2) achalasia
(3) other esophageal motility disorder with recognized pathologic basis
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